Typewriting machine



March 18, 1924.

L. C. MYERS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12. 1,923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIII/I/ March 18 L. C. MYERS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12

4 sheets-sheet 2 March 18 1924.

L. c. MYERS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 18, 1924. 1,486,914

L. C.-MYER5 v TYPEWRI TING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12 1923 4 Sheets-Shunt 4 Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS o. MYERS, or nannroar, NE'W roan, assrenon TO noYAL TYPEwRI'rnn com- PANY, me, on NEW YORK, n. a. oonronarion or new YORK.

TYPEVJEITING LMACHINE.

Application filed February 1 To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS C. Mrnns, a citizen of the United States, residing in Freeport, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lypewriting Machines, of which the following is a speciflcation.

This invention relates to typewriting machines in which there is a relative movement between the printing members and the platen for case printing. In some machines the ten is shifted for this purpose, while in ers the type bars with their segment or port are thus shifted. in the Royal machine, the platen is su )Oltfiil in a carriage which is shifted verically for case printing, one or more shift s being connected with the carriage by chanism which normally holds the carriage in lower position, but which when a shift key is depressed causes the carriage and its platen to be raised to upper case position. in the Royal machine in order to partially coLmterhalance the weight of the carriage so that the load on the shift keys may he reduced, a spring is connected with the shift mechanism and is put under such tension as to tend to raise the carriage and to thus assist in the shifting operation. In the Royal standard machine, the carriage is returned to normal position solely by gravity and the eounterbalanoing spring nas been of such tension that it will not so overcome the force of gravity as to prevent or unduly impede the return of the carriage.

In the pending application filed Eduard B. Hess Jan. 13, 1923, No. 619 and the pending application of Bernari llowd filed Jan. ll, 1923, No. 612,117, mechanism is shown described and claimed whereby an initial impulse is given to the return movement of the carriage. in this way the return of the carriage is quickened' and the strength ofthe counterbalancing spring may be increased so that the shift key may be operated with a liglner touch.

2, 1923. Serial No. 618,576.

Although my invention is applicable to typewriting machines generally in which here is a relative movement between the printing members and the platen, it is particularly serviceable in machines of the Royal type in which the platen is mounted in a carriage which is shifted vertically for case printin An important feature of my invention con sists in the provision of a repulser which is normally inactive, is completely energized after the completion of the shifting movement and becomes active before acting upon the shifted part. Preferably a coiled spring is used for this purpose, the spring being normally inactive or substantially so, the tension being partially increased during the shifting operation and fully. increased after the shifting operation is completed. In this way when the shift key-is released the tension of the spring is quickly relaxed before acting upon the shifted part and thus a sudden impulse is given to the return move ment of said shifted part, which is found to facilitatethe operation.

The mechanism containing the preferred cinl'iodiment of my invention provides means whereby the shift key is cushioned during its depression and whereby the repulser spring is tensioned during the cushioning period.

It may be noted that the more rapid the operator of the machine, t 1e greater necessity there is of having the shifted part return quickly to normal position. Furthermore the rapid operator is more likely to strike the case with considerable force. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the repulser spring is tensioned to a greater extent if the shift key is depressed to its full extent, which is likely to be the case when a heavy blow is imparted to the key. Therefore the repulser spring when thus tensioned will exert a greater force at the commencement of the return movement of the platen than if the key were lightly depressed and the repulser spring not given its full extension.

The means whereby these results may be obtained are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of parts of a Royal typewriting machine, showing substantially the usual form of shift mechanism with my invention included. All parts are shown in lower case position.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing a pair of shift keys with the usual Royal rock shaft enabling operation of the shift mechanism from either side of the machine.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the essential parts of the mechanism showing by full lines these parts in shifted position and by dotted lines the position of some of the parts during the cushioning period.

Figure 4.- is a side elevation of a modified form of mechanism.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of shift mechanism similar to that shown in the Dowd application above mentioned with my improvements added. The parts are shown by full lines in shifted position and dotted lines indicate the normal position of the shift key.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the position of the essential parts of the mechanism during the cushioning period or at the end of the movement of the shift key.

Figures 7, 8, and 9 are diagrammatic views.

Figure 7 shows the position of the repulser spring and repulser arm when in normal position.

Figure 8 shows the position of these parts when the platen is fully shifted.

Figure 9 shows their position at the end of the cushioning period.

Figures 10, 11, and 12 show a further modification in which the repulser is arranged at the right hand side of the machine and is operatively connected with parts of the shift mechanism at the right hand side of the mechanism.

Figure 10 shows the position of the parts in normal position.

Figure 11 shows these parts in shifted position.

' Figure 12 shows their position during the cushioning period.

The drawings disclose only so much of the typewriting machine structure as is necessary to indicate how my invention may be applied to the preferred form of machine. The main frame is indicated at A, the carriage at B, and the platen at G. The shift rail D has downwardly extending legs E connected near their lower ends to links F which are pivotally connected at f to the machine frame. The upper parts of the legs are pivotally connected with rocker arms mounted on a rock shaft h.

The shift key K in the form shown in mea re Figures 1 and 3 has an upwardly extending arm to which is pivoted at it" a bell crank lever lit, the lower substantially horizontal arm of which terminates in a roller K adapted to engage the lower end of one of the legs E of the shift rail. The vertical arm K of the lever K is connected by a link N to a latch 0 adapted to engage a bracket P on one of the legs E to hold the carriage in lower position. lihiie the shift key is depressed, owin to certain lost motion between the roller ri and the leg E, the latch is withdrawn before the mechanism commences to raise the carriage. A. spring it connects the upper part of the arm 70 to the extension 12 of the lever K and serves to cause the shift key lev and the lever K to move together a .ne slitting movement but ern'l" urther cushioning movement of the shift ey after the carriage is fully shifted. In ord hold the carriage in upper case position, preferably employ the usual d which is normally inactive but which 0 the bracket P and holds the carriage in raised position when the shift lock key Q is operated. The shift lock mechanism indicated at Q is of usual construction and is operated in the usual way.

The weight of the carriage, in the construction shown, is partially counterbalanced by a spring T connected with the machine frame and "ith the shift mechanism. This spring is normally under tension and tends to lift the carriage but is not strong enough to do so, although it facilitates in the lifting operation of the shift key. V v hen the carl extent, the tension riage is raised to its f of the spring is fully re axed and when the shift key is released the carriage returns solely by gravity, the preponderance of the weight of the carr' .ge over the lifting force exerted by the spring having been heretofore relied on for this purpose. The spring 'IC is connected at one end to a toothed plate U pivoted at '26- to th frame of he machine and adjusted by m of screw U.

' depressed, the latch is raised to its full extent against a stop i) and the tension or the spring T is relaxed. As soon as the shift key or shift lock key is released, the carriage returns by graidty to its lower position determined by a stop A. lhe construction and operation above de scribed is similar to that shown in other machines.

An object of my present invention is to provide a repulser which generically is similar to that shown in the Hess and Dowd applications above referred to. The improved repulser is normally inactive and becomes active or effective the time the platen commences its return movement, be ing just prior to this disconnected operatively from the shift mechanism so that it acquires some momentum before engaging the shift mechanism and thus imparts a sudden impulse to the mechanism which causes it to start promptly and to continue quickly in lowering the platen.

There are seve 'al ways in which the results last mentioned may be obtained. In Figures 1 and 3 I have shown an arm or lever L having an upwardly extending portion at its forward end terminating in an offset Z which overlies one of the links F but is normally out of contact therewith. The arm L has an extension on its lower side carrying a roller L which is disposed above the rear portion of an extension K on the shift key lever. A spring Z having one end fastened to the arm L and the other end connected to an adjustable eccentric m on the bracket or housing M is normally inactive or relaxed and the arm L rests at this time on an eccentric stop m In this form of mechanism, the depression of a shift key will cause the carriage and related parts to be raised in the manner before described. As shown by full lines in Figure 3, where the carriage has been shifted to its full extent, the arm L will have been engaged by the associated link F and moved a slight distance, thus imparting or adding some tension to the spring Z. If the shift key is depressed no further but then released, the spring will exert an immediate effect to initiate the carriage return, but if the shift key is further depressed and moved from the full line position shown in Figure 3 to the dotted position there shown, the repulser arm L will move to the dotted position indicated in which position its front end lies considerably above the associated link F and the spring Z will be tensioned to a much greater extent.

As soon as the shift key is released, the arm L will move downwardly very quickly, will strike against the repulser arm suddenly, and quickly start the return movement of the carriage and thereby materially assist gravity in the completion of the return movement.

Figure 4 shows a modification in which the offset part Z of the arm L overlies a lever L pivoted to the machine frame at Z and provided at its front end with a roller L The shift lever is provided with a short extension K which projects under the roller L. The lever L is adapted to engage the adjacent leg E and the carriage is thus shifted when the shift key is depressed. While a dog Q for holding the carriage in upper position is shown in Fig ure 3, its operating mechanism is omitted. The operation of the mechanism shown in Figure is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 3, the spring Z being tensioned in a similar manner but acting only to give the shift key a quick initial impulse toward normal position. Some of the mechanism shown in Figure 4 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 3 and the corresponding parts are similarly lettered.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive, a counterbalancing spring is employed of the kind shown in the application of Bernard J. Dowd above mentioned, i. e., a spring which is so connected with the shift mechanism that it operates also to give an initial impulse to the return movement of the carriage, but such spring accordin to my invention is used in connection with other devices next to be described.

The upwardly extending arm in of the shift key lever is connected by a link It to another line: H in turn connected to a pin '0 on the lower end of the cushion setting member V which is pivoted at o to one of the rocker arms H. The member V has an upwardly extending arm o carrying a pin o working in a slot h in the rocker arm H. l Vhen the shift key is depressed a pull is exerted on the links 13, R and through the member V the arm H is rocked about its pivot 7i thereby shifting the parts.

The counterbalancing spring T, it will be observed, is connected at one end to the tension regulating member U and at the other end to a pin e on the member V. This member is similar to that shown in the Dowd application and operates in the same way. It provided for giving an initial impulse to the carriage during its return move ment, but I have found it desirable to supplement the operation by devices which are normally inactive but which impart a quick or sudden impulse to the return movement of the carriage at the commencement of its return movement, these devices thus co-operating with the spring T and with gravity in effecting the return movement.

A bell crank lever L is pivoted at m to the machine frame and has a forwardly extending upper arm carrying a roller Z i *hich overlies the adjacent link F. The lower arm of the lever L carries at its free front end a roller L which overlies an extension K on the shift lever. The tension spring Z is attached to this lower arm and to a pin m and the arm rests on an eccentric stop m by which the position of the bell crank may be adjusted. The adjustment is normally such that the rollers 4 and L will he at some distance above the adjacent link F and the extension K of the shift key lever.

when the shift key is depressed from the normal dotted position shown in Figure 5 to the full line position shown in the same figure, the carriage is moved to shifted position. During this operation the lever L is moved slightly as indicated by full lines, but the roller Z is just out of contact with i iae the L or no material force there on. ln this term oi the shiit mechanism the cushioning movement oi the shift key 18 permitted by the lost movement at it and '0 and the particular mounting of the spring T", which spring acts as th ing' spring as well as counx'i spring. In this cushion period, remains stationary, but l:

shown i re o. this noted or i res considerabl the link F and the spring Z has been put w r 9 sliov. mag the relative positions the associated oa ts under couside.

or the mechanism wit 1 re, i. f in the dii'ierent posi normal position, :i" cushion. period positi is soon as the sorin'? Z causes A o r nto with the mg t e mechanism a quick start towards normal pos T, it is true, gives an the return movement of the spring Z comes into stantially the same the action or": the spring; T a d thus i prompt action. The eccentric stop of be so adjusted as to the normal position o1 the lever li and regulate its actions. The spring Z may be adjusted as desired to vary its strength in any iitable we A single shift key may be employed or I may use two shift keys connected by a rock shaft X as shown in Figure 2 so that the shift mecl anism may be operated from either sides of the machine.

Figures 1O, 11, 12 illustrate a modiication in which the connection between the ey lever and the bell crank lever L is made at the right hand side of the machine. The carriage lifting devices are not shown in these figures of the drawings as they are located at the left h nd side of the machine. the upwardly extending arm /V of the shift key lever at the right of the machine is connected by a link W to the hell crank lever li The link T ter: nates in a loop w which engages a on the lower arm of the lever L in other respects the construction and ope ation are similar to the lever Z having been raised above the link When the shift key is released, the force gravity and the repulse mechanism ded cooperate to return the carriage. oiler I gives a sudden quick blow to F, thus insur ig against any lagthe return movement and nnparting positive force in accomplishing .1: t, 1i 1: return. movement or the mecha- )servcd that in all cases the resuch as the arm L or the arm r1 ally out of contact with the adjal'? or with any part oi the carriage mechanism and the repulser spring Z ct on the shift meeiianism. The r is also out of contact with any carriage shi'lt n'iochanism at the e cushioning movement of the shift arm makes contact with the shift n only during a portion of the nt of the ca part of characteristic feature oil? is a repulser which is given increased the invention Gl'i60 energy mannv during; the cushion period or after the carru 3e has been shifted. The

ser is entirely independent of the carshii t m chanism when the parts are in 1 g'iosition, but it is controlled thereby.

advanced movement of the ore the shitting mechanism comreturn movement, there is no need i tire dependency upon gravity for t of the carriage and the balancing s iine' can therefore be adjusted in such Manner that the touch on the shift key may 'ghtened. This enables the counterbalancing spring which also serves as a repulser spring to be tensioned at the end of the shift key movement when the key has acquired considerable momentum this does not require the touch of the shit key to be as heavy as the sprin had to be overcome from the beginning or the movement of the key as in the case of an ordinary return sprin As before stated, the p inciple involved in my invention is applicable to various types of shift mechanism, including those in which the whole cairiage is shifted, those in which a smaller supplemental carriage is shifted in the lower carriage, and those in which the type bar segment or printing members are shifted relatively to the platen. While preferably forming its greatest value in a machine in which the shifted member is moved vertically it may also be used where the shifted member travels in a difierent direction.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a. typewriting machine a case shift mechanism comprising a case shift key, a repulser mechanism and means operated by the depression of the shift key to its full extent to move the repulser mechanism to a po sition from which it moves rapidly into engagement with the shift mechanism as soon as the key is released and thus imparts a sudden initial impulse to the return move ment of the shifted part.

2. In a. typewriting machine, printing members associated with a platen, means for effecting relative case shift moven int between them, repulser mechanism for the shifted pa and means to fully i e the repulscr mechanism after the completion of the shifted movement, said mechanism beginning its return movement before operating upon the shifted part,

3. In a typewriting machine printing members associated with a platen, means for effecting relative case shifting movement between them, repulser mechanism for the shifted part and means to render said repulser mechanism active before the shifted part commences to return and thereby part a sudden impulse to the returning part,

4. In a typewriting machine type bars sociated with a platen, means for shifting the platen for case printing, a spring for partially counterbalancing th platen, repulser mechanism for the shifted part and means for energizing said repulser mechanism after the completion of the shifting: movement and permitting it to become active before operating upon the shifted part.

5. In a typewriting machine, printing members associated with a platen, means for effecting relative ease shifting movement between the spring actuated repulser mechanism and the shifted part, and means for energizing said repulser mechanism after the completion of the shifting movement and permitting it to become active before Operatingr upon the shifted part.

6. In a typewriting machine, printing members associated with a platen, means for effecting relative case shifting movement between them, a spring actuated repulser for the shifting part and means for fully energizing said repulser after the completion of the shifting movement and permitting it to become active before operating upon the shifted part, whereby it suddenly engages the shifted part and imparts a quick impulse thereto to assist its return movement.

7. In typewriting machine, printing members associated with a platen, means for effecting; relative case shifting movement between. them, repulser mechanism including; a spring and means for placing said spring under tension after the shifting operation and permitting it to relax before the return movement of the shifted part to thereby impart a suitable impulse to the return movement of the shifted part.

' 8. In a typewriting machine, printing members associated with a platen, means for effecting relative case shifting movement between them, repulser mechanism including a repulser spring and means for increasing the tension thereof afterthe shifting operation is completed. and permitting; it to be partially relaxed before acting to give a sudden impulse to the .retr movement of the shifted part.

9. in a typewrit. machine, type bars associated with platen, platen shif iechanism. a shif *ey conne d with such uiecha nism. and a ..ch has a V wart y eJrt-endiin; part hetw, a pivoted repu ser arm adapted to the shift mecham, a normally relaxed spring and means for increasing the tension thereof after the completion of the shifting movement and permitting it to suddenly engage the shift mechanism upon the release of the shift key to thereby give a quick impulse to the return movement of the platen.

10. In a typewriting machine, type bars associated with a platen, a spring for par tially counterbalancing the weight of the platen, shift mechanism for the platen, a repulser operating independently of said spring and means for fully energizing said repulser after the completion of the shift movement of the platen.

11. In a typewriting machine, a partially balancing carriage shiftmechanism therefor, repulser mechanism normally disconnected from the shift mechanism and the carriage and means for fully energizing said repulser mechanism after the completion of the shift movement of the carriage to give an initial impulse to the return movement thereof.

12. In a typewriting machine, a partially balancing carriage shift mechanism there for including a shift key which has a movement after the completion of the carriage shift repulser mechanism and means for fully energizing said r'epulser mechanism during such further movement and causing it to give an initial impulse to the return movement of the carriage.

13. In a typewriting machine, a partially balanced carriage, shift mechanism therefor, repulser mechanism normally disconnected from the shift mechanism, and. means whereby the shift mechanism energizes the repulser mechanism.

14. In a typewriting machine, a partially balanced carriage, shift mechanism therefor including a shift key lever, repulser mechanism normally disconnected from, the shift mechanism, and an extension on said shift key lever operatively connected with the repulser mechanism to energize the repulser mechanism during the latter part of the movement of the shift key.

15. In a typewriting machine, printing members, a platen, means for effecting relative case shift movement between the two,

repuiser mechanism for the shifted part and means for fully energizing said repuiser mechanism after the completion of the shift movement and permitting it to become active before the return movement of the shifted part commences.

1-6. In a typewriting machine, a carriage, a balancing spring therefor, a shift key, means whereby said balancing spring affords a cushioned period for the shift key, a

'epulser and means for fully energizing said repulser during the cushioned period Whereeeann by it acts to give an initial impulse to the return movement of the carriage.

1?. In a typewriting machine a carriage mounted for vertical movement, a carriage shift rail on which the carriage rests hav ing a leg depending from it, and shift mechanism comprising a key lever and a pivoted extension thereon adapted to engage said leg and lift the shift rail.

in testimony whereof I haw hereunto subscribed my name. S

LEWIS G. MYE 

